Sweet potato

Why this ingredient is used

Sweet potato is the gold standard grain-free starch in premium dog food. Its glycemic index is significantly lower than white potato, rice or corn, which means slower glucose release and more stable energy. It is naturally rich in beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A in dogs), dietary fibre, and potassium. Orijen, Acana, Taste of the Wild and Wellness CORE all use sweet potato as their primary carbohydrate source in grain-free lines. The only downside: sweet potato costs roughly twice as much as regular potato per kilogram, which is one reason it is absent from budget brands.